Lawyers did not reveal when Miss Al-Jeffery had been arrested on the university campus - or whether she had been penalised by security officials - as they discussed the incident with the judge.

'On the campus she was seen kissing and hugging an American student,' said Mr Justice Holman.

'She was arrested by security and risked imprisonment.'

He added: 'The man in fact was forced to leave Saudi Arabia.'

Mr Scott-Manderson told the judge: 'The man could have been subjected to physical punishment.'

The judge said there were reasons to be 'very concerned' about Miss Al-Jeffery's welfare, adding there was a 'degree of admission' by Mr Al-Jeffery.

He said Mr Al-Jeffery had admitted locking his daughter in his flat when he went out and there had been 'very elaborate steel latticework' over windows so that Miss Al-Jeffery could not shout out.

A 'barrier or partition' had been put up at the property, which Miss Al-Jeffery had likened to a 'cage'.

Welsh schoolgirl Amina Al-Jeffery has been kept prisoner in a cage by her own father for more than four years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (pictured), after she was accused of un-Islamic behaviour, a court heard

Mr Scott-Manderson said Mr Al-Jeffery had 'required' his daughter to go to Saudi Arabia when she was 16 because he was concerned about the life she led in Wales.

'His concern is that she is going to be at risk (in Britain),' Mr Scott-Manderson told the judge.

'He is the head of a family that has its own moral and cultural standards.'

Mr Scott-Manderson reported how Mr Al-Jeffery had said: 'I will not allow Amina to go back to a toxic lifestyle.'

The judge said Miss Al-Jeffery had grown up in South Wales and might prefer a western lifestyle.

'She may indeed be expressing a preference to the more liberal lifestyle she knows goes on in this country,' he said.

'(Her father) is enforcing his point of view by locking her up.'

He added: 'The central issue for me is, is she able to appeal to this country, of which she is a citizen, and say 'help me'?'

Mr Justice Holman said he might have the power to order Mr Al-Jeffery to facilitate his daughter's return to the UK - but might have difficulty enforcing such an order.

The hearing continues.

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Welsh woman 'was arrested for kissing and hugging US student at Saudi university'